Sisterly Bonds
by HyperionX
Summary: Even in the midst of the long war, those short times of peace still came. It was during those days that they were given the chance to wander around, doing whatever they wanted to as if everything was back to normal, back when the peace lasted. It was those moments that were indeed worth treasuring.
1. Special Day

**This collection of short stories will have varying lengths, probably having an average of 1500 – 2000 words per chapter. It is mainly about the Qiao sisters, with their sibling bonding stuff. Some characters may appear, but only for minor roles.**

 **Anyways, let's proceed!**

* * *

The young and energetic girl woke up with a smile on her face. She got up and stretched, letting out a cute moan at the satisfying feeling.

She was really excited about today because today was a special one. With that, she hurriedly went and changed to her usual bright orange daily clothes.

She went out of the room, that smile never leaving. It only got bigger as she saw her husband at the end of the hall and ran towards there. "Zhou Yu!" The girl embraced him tightly. "Good morning!"

Zhou Yu chuckled. "Good morning to you too Xiaoqiao. Are you ready to go?"

Xiaoqiao nodded happily. "Yup! I can't wait!"

The husband, however, can't help but be worried. "Just promise me, that both of you will be safe."

Xiaoqiao giggled. "Don't worry! We'll be _veeery_ safe!"

This bubbly and cheerful personality of his wife has always made Zhou Yu happy. Even when things get really serious due to the war, she always found a way to make him smile. And if he could never see that smile again, he would never forgive himself. But seeing it now, he felt so assured that she will always be there, that she will be safe. Smiling, he said, "Alright, I've seen you fight many times before, and seeing how strong you are, no enemy will defeat you."

Xiaoqiao smiled. "I'll be going now my lord! I gotta meet up with her!"

"I'll meet you later then my dear."

As Xiaoqiao walked along the hall, she couldn't help but greet everyone who passed by. She just felt so happy today. Her mouth went agape as she saw the person at the end by the balcony, who was admiring the surroundings of the castle. She excitedly ran towards the person. "SIIIIIS!" She tackled and hugged her.

The older Qiao giggled at her gesture. "Hi Xiaoqiao, you ready to go?"

Xiaoqiao nodded her head. "I've been ready since I woke up!" She held her sister's arms, jumping up and down excitedly. "Come on sis let's go let's go!" She then noticed the straw hat her sister was wearing. "Huh? What's that you're wearing?"

Daqiao blushed, adjusting her hat out of nervousness. "O-Oh umm, I saw a lot of people wearing this outside, so I thought I should wear one… i-it looks weird on me, doesn't it?"

"Nope, I think it looks great!" She snatched the hat off her sister's head and tried it on. "Hmm, it feels kinda itchy though…" She took it off quickly and gave it back to her, who decided to not wear it for now.

The older Qiao's husband walked to their side, with the younger Qiao bowing in respect. "Hey you two, are your things ready?"

Both the Qiaos nodded while smiling.

Sun Ce chuckled and grinned. It was obvious that these two just couldn't wait anymore.

* * *

As they got out of the castle gates, the siblings said their goodbyes to their husbands. They had all their things ready, which consisted of: two straw baskets, two fishing rods, and of course, the lures were inside the baskets. An extra basket the older sibling was carrying had an extra set of clothes that looked exactly like the ones they were currently wearing. Daqiao still had her straw hat in hand, even though she wasn't likely gonna wear it now.

With all those things, they looked like they were gonna go on an adventure that would last longer than a day, but in reality, "Ready to go fishing?" Daqiao asked with a smile, trying her best to sound excited. Well, she really was, but her timidness got the best of her with all the people around.

Xiaoqiao grinned excitedly. "Yup! Let's go sis!"

The two Qiao waved their hands at their husbands as they started their journey towards the nearest stream.

Smiling, Sun Ce crossed his arms and chuckled. "Sibling bonding, ain't it wonderful?"

Zhou Yu nodded. "Yes, yes it is."

They turned around and started walking back inside the castle.

Zhou Yu continued, "Speaking of that, you really should bond with yours."

Sun Ce put his hands at the back of his head, replying, "Yeah but whenever Quan invites me, we always end up drinking, and you know how he is when he's drunk," he chuckled. "And Shangxiang's too busy practicing with her bow and all, so…"

"Well, hopefully one of these days you'll find the time to be with them."

Sun Ce noticed the slight frown on his best friend's face. "Hey Zhou Yu, what's wrong?"

"I'm just… worried…"

Sun Ce put his hand on Zhou Yu's shoulder. "Don't worry about them alright? Those girls are tough."

This didn't make Zhou Yu reassured enough, but Sun Ce wasn't giving up.

"If it makes you feel better, you know master Huang Gai's weapon right? That big boat-like thing?"

Zhou Yu nodded.

"Well, I saw Daqiao trying to carry that sometime last week, and she did, well just for like a second but it still counts right? And that thing's bigger than her!"

Zhou Yu's eyes widened in surprise. "What?! But didn't her back hurt? That weapon is as heavy as it looks."

Sun Ce shook his head. "I haven't heard any complaint from her about backaches, so I guess she's fine."

Zhou Yu was in total awe. "That's… impressive, I never knew she was that strong."

Sun Ce chuckled. "Yeah me either. Who knows, maybe Xiaoqiao can also carry that."

This made Zhou Yu imagine his wife carrying such heavy objects, all the while giggling and happy like her usual self. Just how is that possible? What if, what if she was secretly carrying heavy objects when he's not around? At least now he knew, that they were _totally_ safe.

* * *

After minutes of walking, the two Qiaos have finally arrived at their destination.

Xiaoqiao had her mouth agape. "Woooow! It's so beautiful!"

The soothing gentle current of the stream, the chirps of the birds above, the sweet scent of fresh air, and the mountains at the horizon, this all felt so surreal.

Daqiao was mesmerized. She looked around, admiring the environment. It's like she was in a dream, and she definitely didn't want to wake up from this one. She saw a tree nearby and found it to be a good resting spot as they catch fish.

Xiaoqiao removed her boots and went in the water. The depth of the side of the stream was just below her knees. As soon as her feet came in contact with it, a shiver went up her spine at the coldness. Nevertheless, it felt so good against the warm season. "Hey sis, you gotta try this! It's really refreshing!"

The older sibling waved at her, smiling. "Yeah I'll be there in a second!" She got their things and brought it under the tree. Before going to the stream, she got the fishing rods and placed them nearby. She joined her sister in the water, having the same reaction. "This is exactly what we needed in this heat!"

"I told you sis!" Xiaoqiao went a little further, walking slowly as she remained careful of any rocks.

Daqiao saw her sister getting farther. "Be careful Xiaoqiao!"

"I got it!" Xiaoqiao felt something past her leg, she looked down and saw it was a bright orange fish, much like her orange long-sleeved coat. Her mouth went agape, gasping happily like a little child. Curious, she followed the fish, only to stop abruptly as she noticed she was getting into the deeper part of the stream. She went back to her sister, who had the two fishing rods in both hands.

Daqiao extended her arm, smiling, "Are you ready?"

Xiaoqiao grinned. "Yup! Let's go fishing!"

* * *

Both sisters would go to different parts of the stream, in hopes of finding a lot of fish. Xiaoqiao wondered where that bright orange fish went to, she hasn't seen it or any other like it since.

After minutes and minutes of moving and hunting, Xiaoqiao finally felt something tug the end of her fishing rod. She gasped as she pulled back and struggled. She ended up getting out of the water and to the side as she pulled harder, her brows furrowing. However, the fish was too strong and she ended up tripping and falling on her rear. "Owww…"

Xiaoqiao pouted and engaged her serious mode. She pulled back the bright orange sleeves of her coat, as well as the long sleeves of her green undershirt. It was a surprise she rarely complained about how hot it was with those two layers of clothes she was wearing. To her luck, the fishing rod was still moving, meaning the fish was still at the other end! She quickly grabbed the handle and pulled back as strong as she can. What kind of fish is this?! She thought.

The battle went on, but it seems the aquatic faction was winning still. Xiaoqiao struggled, but she was slowly being pulled in to the water, until she felt a pair of hands over hers. She looked back and saw her sister with a determined smile.

"Together," Daqiao said.

Xiaoqiao nodded and shared the same determined smile. "One, two, three, pull!" They pulled as strong as they can, even grunting like how some soldiers would when they charge into battle.

And finally did they catch a whopping regular-sized fish. Xiaoqiao hugged her sister. "Yay sis we caught one!"

"Yeah, it was a tough one too." Daqiao got the fish and put it inside the basket.

But Xiaoqiao remained restless; the day was still young anyway. "Hey sis, we should catch some more!"

Daqiao smiled. "Alright."

* * *

It was the most fun they had in awhile. It didn't matter if they didn't catch a lot, they didn't mind. They were lying down side by side by the tree the older sibling found. They were breathing heavily, feeling exhausted after all the reeling and swinging.

They stared up at the orange sky, admiring its beauty.

Xiaoqiao smiled and turned her head. "That was so fun. Right, sis?"

Daqiao chuckled in response. "Yeah, and we caught enough for dinner too." She glanced at the two baskets, which were already half-filled with fish. Perhaps not catching many was an understatement.

The younger sibling giggled. "They're gonna be so proud of us!"

A few seconds of silence followed, and the two glanced up at the sky once again.

Xiaoqiao couldn't get that smile off her face. Not only did she get to do something so fun, she also got this spectacular view. "Wow… it feels like I'm in a really beautiful dream…"

Daqiao let out a soft chuckle. "I was thinking the same…" But she knew that they had to wake up from this dream soon, and she decided, "But we should go before it gets dark."

Xiaoqiao nodded, and the two sisters soon stood up after catching their breath.

She noticed her big sister about to carry the two baskets filled with fish. "Sis, let me carry the other one!"

Daqiao shook her head. "No, it's okay, I can handle it. But thanks anyway," she smiled.

Xiaoqiao carried the basket that contained their extra set of clothes, which remained unused. On her other hand were the two fishing rods, as well as her sister's straw hat.

* * *

After the unexpected feast caused by the sisters' rather large catch, the drinking session began. Some drank tea to help burn all that food they ate, while the others drank the usual fine booze.

More than an hour already passed after this grand dinner.

Xiaoqiao sneaked into her sister's room, minimizing the creak of the door as much as she can. Sun Ce was nowhere to be found. She tiptoed her way towards her bed, and saw she was already asleep, smiling softly at her sleeping figure. She noticed she had already removed her beautiful pigtails, which were currently on the nightstand. Slowly and quietly, she sat down on the right side of the bed. She was surprised to see her sister's eyes open.

"Xiaoqiao?"

The younger Qiao stuttered, "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up…"

"No," Daqiao giggled. "It's okay, I wasn't really asleep." She leaned forward and sat beside her. "So… is there something on your mind?"

Xiaoqiao smiled. Instead of words, she went straight and gave her a warm embrace. "Thank you so much for today sis. I really had fun especially because you were with me."

Startled, Daqiao then smiled, returning the warm embrace. "You're welcome, little Qiao," she gave her nose a little tap, making her giggle. Daqiao had to stifle a yawn. Perhaps the silence was making her like this, or maybe it was the fuzzy feeling she was getting from this moment, making her feel drowsy. Perhaps fishing made her tired after all, not to mention all the food she ate. It really is amusing how sleepy one can get after eating a rather large quantity of fine food.

Xiaoqiao rested her head on her sister's shoulder, hugging her arm. She was about to continue their conversation, but she felt her sister's head lean towards her. She looked at her, and saw she was already failing at trying to stay awake. She chuckled quietly, admiring how cute and peaceful she looked. She slowly pulled her own head away from her shoulder. "Looks like someone's really tired."

Drowsy, Daqiao groaned, "N-Noo I can still stay awake, see…?" But as she said that, her eyes were closed.

Xiaoqiao merely giggled. "No, you have to go to sleep, okay?"

Daqiao pouted, but she soon lied down on the bed facing sideways, and Xiaoqiao draped the blanket over her. She still had enough energy to open her eyes, and saw her sister sitting at the side of the bed, their eyes meeting each other.

Xiaoqiao smiled. "Sleep well sis."

Daqiao returned a weary smile due to her sleepiness. "You too Xiaoqiao."

Xiaoqiao soon found herself in her own room and bed, closing her eyes with a smile.

* * *

 **August 18, 2018: Revised some stuff.**


	2. Cheater

**Okay, this one's way below the average number of words I said.**

* * *

"Xiaoqiao… I'm… sorry…" Daqiao was lying down on her stomach. She didn't know what to feel after seeing her sister's sorrowful face. She didn't want to make her feel sad, but what can she do to stop it?

"No… sis, please… you can't… not yet…" She was snuffling. Why? Why did this have to happen? It was too soon. "Please…"

Daqiao spoke her final word. "I…"

"NOOO!" Xiaoqiao was devastated. That's it. Everything's over. She couldn't live with herself now. She was so close! She should've seen this coming, she should've made a better choice, everything could've ended up so much better. But it was over. She just can't.

"WIN!" Daqiao grinned as she moved the piece on the board. She sprang up from the floor and sat down, giggling excitedly at her streak.

Xiaoqiao pouted. "That's so not fair sis! Let me win at least once!"

Daqiao chuckled. "That was fair play Xiaoqiao. You just have to play smarter."

Xiaoqiao didn't accept this. She was playing smart! After playing so many times, she had already taken into account her sister's movements each turn, and the strategies she had in mind was effective enough! However, maybe it wasn't her at fault, maybe it was _her_! Groaning, she said, "But I was! You just cheated!"

Daqiao was startled at this accusation. "W-What? Who are you calling a cheater?!"

Xiaoqiao pouted. "You! You big cheater!"

Daqiao looked at her sternly. She saw her little sister sticking her tongue out. How disrespectful! "Hey, don't call me a cheater just because you don't know how to play smart!"

Xiaoqiao clenched her fist. She tried her best to avoid looking at her older sister. She didn't like this feeling. She mumbled, "Meanie…" She stood up and stormed off the room.

The older sister was left speechless. The sudden realization left her feeling down. _Did I… go too far?_ Not knowing what to do, she just packed up the board game with a frown.

She went out of the room quickly and searched for her sister. Her feeling of guilt only got worse when she couldn't find her. She disappeared too quickly, leaving her only one reason why. She frantically ran to the place she guessed she had gone to.

She soon arrived at the castle garden and there she saw her little sister sitting alone on the stone bench. She took a moment to catch her breath before walking over to her. As she got closer, she could hear the tears that she herself had caused. She didn't know what to do but to feel so guilty. As a first step, she softly called out her name, "Xiaoqiao…?"

The younger Qiao stood up and wiped her tears away and looked at her sister, frowning. "I-I'm really not smart, am I?"

Daqiao embraced her, stroking her hair gently. Her sister was still snuffling. "No, that's not true." She felt so ashamed of herself, to think that it was her that caused her usually cheerful and energetic sister to feel so down. "Xiaoqiao, I'm really sorry for what I said awhile ago, I didn't mean it."

Xiaoqiao still had tears in her eyes. "B-But even so, I hear other people say that too. That I'm just some dumb annoying girl who just likes to have fun."

Now this Daqiao didn't expect. So this was the reason, the reason why she reacted this way. It was her fault, that her little sister got reminded of what she had been through. But at the same time, hearing this made her blood boil that others would talk behind her little sister's back, spreading false rumors. But for now, she'd have to keep that anger inside, she had to comfort her family. It was her only chance to redeem herself. "No, don't… ever believe what they say. You know that's not true, _I_ know that's not true. You are not just some dumb girl, you're my sister, that girl who is so courageous, so sweet, and can always cheer other people up with that wonderful smile of hers," she did her best to show her caring smile.

There was always something in the way her sister spoke when it came to talks like this. Maybe it was her naturally gentle and caring tone, Xiaoqiao wasn't sure, but it always made her feel better when she says those things about her. It was enough to make her show that wonderful smile.

"There's that smile," Daqiao said and hugged her again. "I'm so sorry for hurting you."

Xiaoqiao shook her head. "No, I should be saying sorry. I shouldn't have called you a cheater."

Daqiao smiled, letting this embrace last a little longer. She looked at the surroundings and noticed the lack of sunlight. "We should go back, looks like it's gonna rain soon."

They walked together side by side, happy things didn't get out of hand.

Xiaoqiao was grinning. "Hey sis we should play again. I'll definitely beat you this time!"

Daqiao smirked. "Bring it on."


	3. Comfortable

"Good night sis."

Daqiao smiled. "Good night, Xiaoqiao." Her little sister cuddled up next to her.

How exactly did this happen? Well, Xiaoqiao's room had a little problem, thanks to that horrible storm last night. While she got along with the other kids in the quarters well, she didn't feel too comfortable sleeping in their rooms. She kept begging her sister if she could sleep with her, and in the end, Daqiao just gave up and invited her little sister to hers.

It's not that she was annoyed. In fact, she was kind of happy. It's been quite a long time since they've done this, and she thought it felt nice to be like this once again.

She looked at her sister's face and was amused to see her eyes still wide open. "Xiaoqiao?

Xiaoqiao was flustered. "Sis?"

Daqiao smiled nervously. "Can't sleep?" She stroked her hair sister's hair.

Xiaoqiao couldn't help but giggle. Getting her hair stroked by her sister had always felt so soothing. "I might if you keep doing that."

A chuckle escaped Daqiao's mouth. "So why can't you? Is there something wrong?" She could see her shaking her head.

"No, it's just that it's been so long since we slept together like this…"

"Oh…" Daqiao frowned. "Does it make you feel uncomfortable?"

Xiaoqiao shook her head. "No, not at all."

"I see…" Daqiao found it difficult to find the answer. She would usually see through her sister's eyes what she was trying to convey, but this time, she couldn't.

Xiaoqiao stretched her arms, her sleepiness, or the lack of it, gone. "I just can't stop thinking about it." She looked at her sister with a smile. "I'm just really happy that we could do this again."

Daqiao returned the smile. "I'm happy too, Xiaoqiao."

"But you know, I'm just wondering, why did we stop sleeping in the same room? I mean we're allowed to anyways, right?"

Daqiao chuckled at the simple answer. "Xiaoqiao, that's because we don't fit in the same bed anymore." Looking now, they literally didn't have any space to move an inch until they would fall off. Xiaoqiao did mention that she didn't feel uncomfortable, but right now, Daqiao was finding it hard to believe that she wasn't lying.

"Then why can't we just put two beds here then?"

Daqiao averted her gaze, frowning. "I don't think two beds will fit in either of our rooms."

"But sis, right now, we can sleep together just fine, see? Even if we sleep facing down or facing the ceiling, we can still fit just fine." Xiaoqiao lied down sideways facing her sister.

Daqiao looked down at her. "Yes, but we don't exactly have any space left to move."

Xiaoqiao smiled. "Then we can just sleep sideways!"

Daqiao tried it out. The two girls were facing each other. She did find that they had at least some space to move, but realizing that they had to be like this made her frown. "This… isn't exactly an option. I mean won't you feel uncomfortable if we're gonna sleep like this _all_ the time?"

Xiaoqiao giggled. "Nope!" She snuggled closer to her sister, burying her face onto her chest. "As long as you're here sis, I'll always feel comfortable."

Daqiao smiled. Xiaoqiao was always like this, so bubbly and innocent. Part of her even wished that she had a personality like hers. She felt like a mother to her, even though they were barely a year apart in terms of age. "You are such a little child…" She chuckled.

The younger Qiao giggled in response. "Have I been a good one?"

Daqiao pouted, a plan forming in mind. "No, Xiaoqiao, you have been a bad girl."

Xiaoqiao frowned. "H-Huh?"

"And for that you deserve," Daqiao put her hands near her sister's waist, "a punishment!" and started tickling her.

"Ah!" Xiaoqiao couldn't resist and started laughing. "S-Stop! I'm really ticklish!" Tears were falling out of her eyes from laughing so much. "S-Sis!" She kept tumbling around the bed.

Daqiao giggled as she kept tickling her sides. "Do you promise to be a good girl from now on?"

Xiaoqiao laughed between words. "Y-Yes! I promise… I'll be good! Hehe!" She kept rolling around until she fell off the bed. "Ah!" Yet she just laughed it off and climbed back to bed. "You're so mean! Your punishment went way too far!" She giggled.

Daqiao snickered. "Are you sure?"

Xiaoqiao cuddled up next to her once again. "Why can't we do this more often…"

Daqiao chuckled. "If you really want, then maybe we can."

A wide grin spread on the girl's face. "Really?!"

Daqiao smiled warmly. "Yeah."

A happy gasp escaped the younger Qiao's mouth, hugging her sister's arm out of joy. "Yay! Thank you so much sis!"

Xiaoqiao nestled herself, getting into a comfortable position to prepare for her sleep. She gave her sister a bright smile, saying, "Hey sis, do you think we can always do this, even if we grow up?"

Daqiao smiled nervously as she replied, "Well, I'm pretty sure we won't fit in the same bed anymore even when we sleep sideways by then."

Xiaoqiao giggled. It was true after all. Just then, her smile faded a little as she remembered one little thing. "Wait a minute, it's your birthday soon right?"

Daqiao nodded. "Yes. It's one week from now."

Xiaoqiao couldn't help but frown slightly as she realized what her sister's age will be then. "But that means… you'll move to the other quarters…"

Daqiao understood why her sister would feel down about this. She caressed her hair gently, reassuring her, "Don't worry about it, it's just nearby. I'll visit you everyday."

Xiaoqiao shook her head, as she was worried about something else. "But… you won't get to eat the kiddie moon cakes anymore…"

Despite the serious tone of her sister, Daqiao couldn't help but snicker. Xiaoqiao was always worried about the silliest of things, but that's one of the main reasons why Daqiao found her to be so sweet. After a hearty laugh, she finally put the words out of her mouth, " _That's_ what you were worried about? Well… I don't really mind. It's something I'll just have to get used to."

Xiaoqiao frowned but understood her sister clearly. "I guess you're right…"

Daqiao smile lightly. "Tell you what, why don't we go to sleep so we can enjoy tomorrow's moon cakes, together? Does that sound good?"

Xiaoqiao beamed. "Yup!"

Daqiao gave off a slight chuckle. "Sleep well alright?"

Xiaoqiao giggled. "I sure will!"

* * *

 **Cover image added on February 3, 2018.**

 **I don't own the image of the two Qiaos. I only made the background and stuff. I actually wanted it to show them with their Dynasty Warriors 8 outfits since that how I always picture them when I write these short stories, but I couldn't find any that looks similar to this.**


	4. Nurse

Another training session was happening at the castle's training grounds. It was usually a daily thing or perhaps even more frequently to ensure the officers and soldiers were always at their highest potential in combat. If they wanted to succeed in the expansion of their land, they'd have to remain strong.

The two dangerous and deadly – er- cute and sweet sisters took part in this as well. However, they usually trained when there were only a few people around. They didn't feel so comfortable with so many people as there was little space to move around, and their favorite training spots would have been occupied as well.

Xiaoqiao, the younger of the two, was really happy just beating the training dummies, perfecting her moves and stances to ensure she wouldn't get hit during real battles and to help as much as she can. With that determined look and smile, perhaps she really was dangerous and deadly.

Daqiao, the older of the two, on the other hand, wasn't looking too well. Usually, she would share the same determination as her sister did, but today, she wasn't feeling it. Her ranged weapon was two pugil sticks, with a heart-shaped design on the front, and the back end a ring-like protrusion. Designing it with hearts was a bit ironic since it was a weapon – doing the complete opposite of what the heart does. Well, as long as it looked cute. It emitted some kind of energy in the form of a glowing pinkish ball, and it was certainly dangerous as those balls of energy exploded on contact. Her usual near perfect accuracy was nowhere to be seen as she kept missing the dummy. Her body felt so heavy and she was sweating profusely.

She was panting so loud that her little sister heard it. Xiaoqiao stopped practicing as soon as she heard this and walked towards her older sister. "Sis, are you alright?"

Daqiao took a couple of seconds to catch her breath before responding, "Y-Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about me, alright?" She tried her best to feign a smile.

The younger Qiao frowned. She always thought that when her sister smiled, she was assured that she was definitely okay, and she still believed that. But she couldn't shake that feeling off, that feeling of concern. "Are you sure? We can stop training if you-" Only she was met with her sister shaking her head.

"No, we have to keep training if we want to get stronger. Don't worry, this is nothing."

Xiaoqiao sighed. "If you say so…"

Before her little sister could even go back to her training area, Daqiao was already feeling a lot worse. Her vision got blurry, and she was feeling dizzy. Trying to stay strong, she looked serious as she wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead, but even so, her body only felt weaker every second. Her knees started to tremble. She tried her best to fight this, but her body soon gave up. In just a few moments, Daqiao collapsed.

Xiaoqiao heard the loud thud and instantly turned her head around. She gasped in horror at what she saw. "SIS!" She ran quickly towards her downed sister and kneeled by her side. "Sis you've gotta keep it together!" Being this close, she finally saw how much her sister was in pain. She looked so weak, her whole body was shaking, her face was scrunched up because of the pain, and she had her arms around herself as if she was shivering from the cold.

Tears fell from Daqiao's eyes. "It… hurts…" Her voice was so soft.

Xiaoqiao shouted desperately, "Somebody! Please help!" She held her sister's hand, providing some warmth. "Don't worry, help's coming." Her eyes started to form tears. "You've gotta stay strong okay? You have to stay strong…"

She felt a sliver of relief as she heard the many footsteps of soldiers getting louder. With tearful eyes, Xiaoqiao pleaded, "Please, we have to help my sister!"

"Worry not lady Xiaoqiao!" Along with Xiaoqiao, the soldiers carried the frail body of her older sister to her room.

* * *

A few hours have passed.

With a groan, Daqiao finally opened her eyes, and the first thing she noticed was the ceiling of the room. She instantly recognized whose room this was. _What am I doing in Xiaoqiao's room?_ She noticed the sleeves of her clothes. She realized she was wearing her white nightgown. And of course, her hair was down as she didn't feel her pigtails anymore.

She leaned forward and tried to sit up straight, but her body felt painful. She whimpered and just lied down again instead. She felt so weak. Her eyes were welling up in tears again realizing how big of a mistake this was. If only she wasn't so stubborn, then maybe things could've ended up better.

She glanced towards the door as she heard it creak slightly. The bright orange sleeves were a giveaway on who it was, and she saw her running quickly to her.

"Sis! I'm so glad!" Xiaoqiao held her sister's hand as she sat down on the chair beside the bed. Her hand felt so warm. Too warm.

The older sibling did her best to flash a small smile. "Xiaoqiao…"

"… Are you okay with your clothes? I-It was my idea, but-"

"They're really comfortable. Thank you," Daqiao said rather weakly. She was delighted to know that she still remembered that her nightgown was the most comfortable thing she had ever worn. This helped a lot against the pain she was feeling.

The younger Qiao returned it as well, but it was quickly replaced by a frown. Seeing her sister look so frail and pale was a depressing sight. She glanced at her face as she heard her soft voice.

"I'm really… sorry…"

"Sis?"

"This is my fault… I wasn't feeling well before we even trained, but I… I still insisted on doing it…" She gathered her strength to caress her sister's cheek. She hated seeing her sad, especially if it's her own fault. "I'm so sorry for making you worry…"

That soft warmth she felt on her cheek was enough to calm her down. She held her sister's hand gently. "You didn't have to train if you weren't feeling well…" As her sister put her hand down, she felt the warmth from her cheek fading away. "You didn't have to force yourself…"

"I-I just didn't want to disappoint you… I thought that if I kept on pushing myself, I can become stronger… but… I don't think I can…"

Xiaoqiao refused this. "No! I've always been so proud to have a sister like you! You've always been strong, you were always there for me, you always took care of me, and you've taught me a lot of things. So don't say you're not strong enough when you are, okay?" Her tone was a little stern, but she quickly eased up a little as she caressed her sister's hair. "And I know you can overcome this."

Daqiao flashed a small smile. "Thank you, Xiaoqiao." It was quite funny, she thought. It's as if their roles were reversed.

Xiaoqiao said, "And don't worry sis, I'll take care of you." She smiled, "I shall be your personal nurse!"

Daqiao chuckled weakly. It was nice to see her sister's bubbly side showing again. "If I end up making requests, please don't be mad."

"Well I understand since you're sick but…" Xiaoqiao pondered as she put a finger under chin. "Just don't make too much." She giggled. But deep down, even she could take on as many requests from her. She'd gladly accept this mission. As long as it made her sister happy during this difficult time, she'd do it for her.

The older Qiao held her sister's hand, smiling weakly. After shifting her position in the bed, she muttered, "Can you come closer?"

Clueless, Xiaoqiao simply followed her sister. She pushed her chair even closer and leaned forward.

Daqiao gathered all her strength and tried to lean forward.

Xiaoqiao was worried. "Sis you mustn't-"

Before her little sister could even stop her, she had already embraced her. It's what she all needed for now. It brought her so much comfort, it's as if her fever was gone for a split second.

The same went for Xiaoqiao. Despite the shaky and weak embrace, it just felt so good to her because she felt assured that her sister was gonna be okay, that she didn't have to worry.

"I'm just really glad you're here…"

Xiaoqiao smiled sadly and closed her eyes, returning the embrace as well. "I'm glad you're here too…"

Daqiao soon let go of the embrace.

"Alright sis, you should be resting now." Xiaoqiao held her hand and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll stay here with you."

The sickly older Qiao appreciated the gesture. "Thank you."

* * *

Two days have passed, and Daqiao was still not well. Xiaoqiao took the nurse role seriously it seems, as she was always there by her side, bringing in food every dinner and lunch and even feeding her.

It was currently lunch time. One of the maidens was about to enter the room, but she already saw Xiaoqiao inside.

Xiaoqiao heard the creak and glanced at the door and smiled. "Hello!"

Feeling regret, the maiden replied, "M-My apologies, I shall leave the room immedia-"

"No no it's okay! You can stay with us!" Xiaoqiao giggled.

The maiden walked towards the bed and stayed beside Xiaoqiao. She bowed towards Daqiao and said, "I hope you are feeling better my lady…"

Daqiao was sitting in the bed, with her lower half body being covered by the blanket. Pillows supported her back to make it easier to remain seated.

She chuckled nervously. She wasn't a princess or anything and found this sign of respect to be unnecessary, and a bit embarrassing. "N-No need to be so formal, but thank you for the concern," she smiled sheepishly.

Xiaoqiao had with her a couple of snacks, namely a soft fluffy meat bun.

Xiaoqiao grinned as she took the meat bun and extended her arms. "Alright sis, say 'aahh!'"

Daqiao didn't really want to say that, instead she just let her sister feed her and savored the taste of the meat bun.

Xiaoqiao giggled.

The maiden widened her eyes, blushing lightly. She stuttered, "M-My apologies lady Daqiao, lady Xiaoqiao, it seems I have forgotten I have something important to do." She bowed hastily. "I hope you recover soon." She rushed towards the door.

The two Qiaos were left flustered. "Whoa, looks like she really is in a hurry," Xiaoqiao said.

"Yeah, I hope she's doing fine."

As the maiden closed the door, she grinned excitedly. She was squealing inside. _She's so cuuuute! I was right to visit her! I'm sure you'll get well soon lady Daqiao!_ She started walking along the hall, humming happily.

* * *

Nighttime soon arrived. Daqiao opened her eyes. She couldn't sleep now. Her sickness changed her body clock. After being bedridden for a few days already, she had gotten used to falling asleep during the afternoon after lunch, and now, she had already regained enough energy that it wasn't gonna be until later that she could sleep again. She still felt weak, but it wasn't as bad as the first day. She had enough strength to pull herself up with the support of her elbows and hands and sat up. Glancing a little to the left, she saw her little sister still sitting on that chair, sleeping with her head resting on the side of the bed. She was so thankful of her, that she would take care of her during this difficult time.

Smiling, she leaned forward and caressed her hair. _Thank you so much Xiaoqiao_ , _for taking care of me…_

She suddenly saw her shift a little.

Xiaoqiao yawned as she woke up. Still feeling sleepy, she wiped her eyes, speaking with a raspy voice, "Hi sis…"

Daqiao placed her hand on her sister's shoulder. With a concerned smile, she said, "You should go to bed Xiaoqiao, so you can sleep properly…"

Drowsy, Xiaoqiao replied as she yawned again, "Alright…" She stood up from her chair, and walked towards the door, ready to go to her sister's room. "Sleep well, sis…"

"You too, Xiao."

* * *

The remainder of Daqiao's sick days were pretty much the same, with Xiaoqiao staying by her side and feeding her during lunch and dinner. She was feeling better each day and told Xiaoqiao she could already eat on her own, but she insisted on feeding her.

It was like this, up until the last day of when she was still considered not fully recovered, at least according to the doctors.

Xiaoqiao was busy planting flowers in the castle garden, when suddenly someone from behind embraced her, with their arms around her neck. When she looked back and saw who it was, she gasped in worry. "Sis?! What are you doing, you should be in bed!" She noticed her clothes. Wait, she actually went out with her nightgown, and with her hair down and messy.

Daqiao giggled and held her sister's hands. "I just wanted to see my best and favorite nurse."

Xiaoqiao's mouth went agape and gasped but now of happiness. "Does that mean you're okay now?"

Daqiao nodded happily. "Yes."

Xiaoqiao smiled and embraced her. "Thank goodness!"

The now healthy Qiao looked down. "Hmm? You were planting?" The girl also noticed the others planting as well.

"Yup! And they're not just some ordinary plants sis! They say it's some sort of medicinal plant. You just have to eat the berries when it fully grows and they say it will get rid of your sickness!"

Daqiao was amused. "Wow, if that's true, then these can really help the people."

"Actually," Xiaoqiao placed her hand over her sister's, "I saved one for you."

Daqiao looked at the berry on her hand. It didn't exactly have a perfectly round shape, but its aqua-like color was something she had never seen before. She put her hand closer to her mouth and indulged in the rare fruit. Wait, indulged? Ha, as if. Her face slightly scrunched up as she tasted it.

Xiaoqiao felt worried. "S-Sis?"

Daqiao did her best to resist the taste and just swallowed. "Ugh… it tasted bitter… why does medicine always have to taste like that…"

Guilty, Xiaoqiao chuckled nervously. "Y-Yeah, I guess that didn't cross my mind…"

Daqiao smiled. "I'm sure my fever will be totally gone now because of this. Thank you, sister."

The younger sibling's frown was quickly replaced with a smile, feeling happy that she could help once again. "No problem sis!"

The last few days for the older Qiao have been pretty difficult. She learned her lesson to not push herself too much to the point that it would make things worse instead. But it was quite funny, throughout her bedridden days, it's like she didn't feel much of the sickness. With the help of her bubbly little sister, she made her sick days much more colorful, much less depressing. She always found a way to make her smile despite her condition. And if that day comes where she would be the one who would need to be taken care of instead, she will make sure to do the same.


	5. Spell Book

Xiaoqiao looked angry. No, she really was angry. The object she kept staring at must've been really scared if it wasn't inanimate; that glare could kill. "Oh come on! I just wanna know!" She stood on her toes and tried to reach for it, but to no avail. She pouted in annoyance.

So what made the younger Qiao interested in books all of a sudden? Well, she wasn't, but she fell victim to the rumors once again. It was said that there was a book that contained secret spells on how to get taller, and poor Xiaoqiao believed in this ridiculous story. The ironic part about this was that the book that's believed to contain these so-called secret spells were in the top-most part of the already tall bookshelf she was trying to conquer. Well, not the top-most, but the book was literally on top of the bookshelf, so it had to be covered in a lot of dust or something, but little Qiao was too focused on getting that book to even care about that.

The bookshelf had about five rows of books, and Xiaoqiao can only reach up to the fourth, and that's with her arms stretched out already. This really was a vertical challenge.

"If only there was a ladder…" Xiaoqiao said to herself.

She tapped her chin and squinted her eyes, trying to understand exactly how to get that book. She wasn't giving up, she believed that it was true because of one good reason: why was this bookshelf located in a separate room? Why was it isolated from the others in the castle library? That's exactly why! Because something big and mysterious is up there, and it's that book!

She continued with that thinking look, until her eyes widened when a bright idea popped in her mind. She remembered their recent training where they had to scale walls. Because of her light weight and flexibility, she was able to master that quickly. Even her sister was thoroughly impressed. She nodded, putting the plan in action. With a determined smile, she told the book as she looked up, "Alright! You'll be mine soon!"

She backed up a bit from the nearby wall and then ran to it, using her speed to jump and place her feet – an athletic Xiaoqiao?! She used her momentum and jumped back to the bookshelf. She grabbed on the highest ledge and giggled in success. "Yes! I did it!" But when she tried to reach for the book, her victory was short-lived as she heard the bookshelf creak. Her eyes widened. "Uh-oh…" She still held on to the shelf's ledge as it fell down, ending with a loud thud as she fell dizzy.

Imaginary stars formed above her head and circled around her until a few moments later when she shook her head and regained focus. She gasped as she saw the mess she made. Many books were sprawled all over the dusty floor and worst of all, she suddenly realized that they all looked the same! Now how was she gonna find that book?!

She suddenly turned as she heard the door to the room open.

"What did you doooo…"

Xiaoqiao shrieked as she heard the unknown person's voice. It was certainly a girl's voice, but why did it sound so low, as if she was trying to scare her with a prank? "W-Wait, I can explain!" She gasped in surprise as the dust from the room fell. "Sis?!"

Daqiao coughed and fanned the air around her. "S-Sorry about that, it's because of the dust…" She cleared her throat and asked, "What are you doing here Xiaoqiao? I've been-" She gasped as she saw the mess around her sister. "What happened here?!"

Xiaoqiao chuckled nervously, replying, "I was trying to get the book at the top, I tried to jump on it, but the bookshelf kinda lost balance and fell on me."

Daqiao went and sat down by her sister's side, concerned. "Are you alright?! You really should be more careful next time…"

Xiaoqiao smiled. "It's okay sis, I'm fine!"

"So… which book were you looking for? What does it look like?"

"I'm not really sure. It was the only book on the top, but now, I don't know which one it is…"

As Daqiao looked down, she realized her sister's predicament instantly. "So I'm guessing it has a brown hard cover, and has no title on it… which is pretty much… every book here…" She sighed. "We're gonna have to read every one of them won't we…"

Realizing her sister's words, Xiaoqiao waved her hands in denial, saying, "Wait sis, you don't really have to help me in this. This is my fault, so please don't get yourself involved in this."

Daqiao chuckled. "Don't worry about it sister, it's no problem, I have nothing else to do anyway. Who knows, I might find another book worth reading here in my spare time."

"If you say so… alright, let's start reading!"

Daqiao couldn't help but giggle. This was an unexpected change from her sister. "What made you interested in books all of a sudden?" She gasped in wonder. With sparkles in her eyes, she said rather excitedly, "Did you finally realize the wonder of books? They're really great, right?!" The day she eagerly waited for finally arrived! Finally, someone else to talk about books with, and as a bonus, it was someone she was already close to - her little sister herself! Finally, she could pass down all her recommendations to her, and just imagine the countless nights they would engage in conversations about what they have read. It's like a dream come true!

Xiaoqiao shook her head. "No, I just wanted to look for that book."

Daqiao pouted. All her hopes were shot down instantly. So much for ruining her fun. "Awwww…"

Xiaoqiao chuckled nervously. She found it rather amusing though, when it comes to books, her sister's usual timidness was nowhere to be found. She would just talk about it all day whenever she finds a book interesting.

"What does that book contain anyway?"

Xiaoqiao brought her face closer to her sister's ear, thinking it was best if no one else heard this even though it was only the two of them there, and whispered, "It's a book about spells."

Daqiao repeated her, "Spells?" And what was it about spells that made her sister intrigued?

Xiaoqiao nodded. "Yup, and one of them's gonna make me taller!"

"I see… And how exactly did you know about this?" It's not like her little sister deliberately searched for it, or was she that desperate to get taller?

"I heard some people talking about it, but I don't know why nobody _actually_ looks for it." She huffed in annoyance just thinking about it. "I mean come on sis! Who wouldn't want a height-increasing spell casted on them?!"

Daqiao giggled at her sister's cluelessness. "That's because they don't work. Do you actually believe that a spell will make you taller?"

Xiaoqiao nodded innocently.

Daqiao smiled nervously. "Oh Xiaoqiao... In the first place, spell books were just created for children, they chant the words and they just let their imagination run wild. It's quite amazing actually, how creative they can be with their imagination…" She paused, a slight frown forming on her face, then continued, "but once they grow up, it's like it just disappears…"

"Well, we won't know until we try, so come on sis, let's go!"

Daqiao chuckled. "Now don't go complaining if it doesn't work okay?"

* * *

The search had begun a few minutes ago, but Daqiao already had set some books aside already. This didn't come unnoticed by her little sister.

Confused, Xiaoqiao asked, "Hey sis, why did you put those books there?" The books she saw were stacked on top of each other rather perfectly, and they were even arranged from the largest to the smallest book.

Daqiao blushed lightly knowing her interest in books were shown in the spotlight once again. Glancing at the current book in her hand, she said, "O-Oh, umm… I might… you know… borrow them…"

The younger Qiao had her mouth agape. "Huh?! That many? Sis, that's like five books already! Seriously though, I don't get why you find books interesting…"

The older Qiao scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest, feeling a little irritated at her sister's ignorance. "That's because you don't even bother giving them a chance."

"Whoa…"

The older Qiao's features softened up as it was replaced by curiosity at the current book in her sister's hand, making her lean closer.

Xiaoqiao muttered as she slowly flipped through the pages, scanning each page carefully, "It's all spells…" She gasped happily at the possibility that "It has to be this one sis!"

She quickly noticed that the name of the spells were arranged alphabetically, making her flip through the pages faster, even skipping some of them. She squinted her eyes as she looked at the titles of the spells. "Come on come on where is it…" She soon arrived at the section she hoped the spell would be in, a smile forming on her face. She used her pointing finger and carefully traced each spell in hoping to find the 'Height Spell', 'Height-Increasing Spell', whatever names were close to its supposed effects.

She soon reached the last spell with a starting letter of 'H', but her desired spell was nowhere to be found. "Huh? How come it's not here?" She gasped as she realized, "Maybe it's called Increase your Height Spell!"

"Umm Xiaoqiao…" Daqiao tried to call her out, but all her attention was on the book.

How convenient, Xiaoqiao thought. It was just the next letter. She scanned through the pages and was disappointed to find nothing. She scratched her head in confusion. "It's not here too?"

The older Qiao finally got her attention. "I don't think the name of the spell's gonna be like that. You know how they add some syllables and letters to the words so it sounds fancy? It must be something like that."

Another word came into Xiaoqiao's mind and luckily the word started with the letter just before 'H'. She flipped back through the pages and searched for that word. There was a hint of wonder in the younger sibling's eyes as she finally found the supposed spell with the corresponding word. She muttered, "It has to be this one…"

Daqiao just had to sigh as she saw the increasing anticipation in her sister's eyes because she was only setting herself up for disappointment. And there was no stopping her. But somehow, seeing this also made her chuckle; her sister's childish nature was something she could never get tired of. She just sat down beside her in silence, listening as she chanted the words to activate the spell.

Xiaoqiao closed her eyes as she waited eagerly for the spell to take effect. She sat there and waited for something, anything, that would tell her that it worked.

A few more seconds, but nothing seemed to happen.

Maybe it already did? She thought.

Xiaoqiao stood up and asked her sister with a pleading look, "Sis, do I look taller?"

Daqiao stood up and when she measured her height with her hand and compared it with hers, like she expected, her sister's height was still the same – just a little shorter than her. "I guess not."

Xiaoqiao frowned and pouted. "But why…"

Daqiao smiled with concern. "Xiaoqiao, why did you want to get taller anyways? You're fine just the way you are."

Xiaoqiao looked at her sister sternly. "Sis, you remember miss Luyan, right?

Daqiao nodded. "You mean the head of the castle's management?"

"Do you remember the mooncakes she gave to us during the victory party?"

"Why yes I…" Daqiao's eyes widened as she realized what her sister was trying to say. Those mooncakes were the best she had ever tasted. If only she could eat those again...

Xiaoqiao smiled and leaned closer to her sister, whispering, "I saw her room! She has a whole basket of mooncakes on the top of her really tall shelf, that's why I-" Before she could even finish, her sister had already gone back to reading the books rather desperately, flipping through the pages quickly before going to the next book. "S-Sis?"

Daqiao heard her sister's voice and looked at her with an embarrassed smile. She chuckled nervously and put her hand behind her head, asking, "Did I ever tell you that spell _scrolls_ might actually work?"


	6. Welcome Back

Even if she had seen the tip of the castle on the horizon, Daqiao could only form a weary smile on her face – not only was it still a little far, she was also really exhausted. After the long and tiresome battle, the sore feeling in her muscles eventually kicked in. She just wanted to go to her room and slump on her bed.

She could barely keep her eyes open as they rode through the plain, but she wouldn't want, or anyone for that matter, to suddenly fall off their saddle and receive a painful face plant on the ground. That and she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of everyone else, especially Sun Ce, who was just in front of her on his own horse.

So she had to keep her eyes open, and what better way than to think active thoughts, like the battle earlier. In the end, they ended up victorious, and Daqiao still remembered some of the officers she encountered.

Well that's weird, how come one of them was holding a pillow like a weapon? Well, some pillows are hard, but why did they use that for battle?

Daqiao shook her head. This was clearly the drowsiness affecting her mind.

"Daqiao? You alright?"

She had to stifle a yawn, but she ended up rubbing her eyes to try to remove some of her sleepiness. She looked to her right and saw her husband now by her side. "S-Sorry Ce, I'm just feeling a little sleepy…"

Sun Ce chuckled. His wife was trying her best to stay awake, but the sleepiness was much faster than her. "Hey, why don't you ride with me? You know, so you can sleep?"

It only took those words to rid some of Daqiao's sleepiness. She pulled her horse closer to his, and with a deep blush on her cheeks, she looked at him nervously and whispered, "M-My lord?! N-not in front of everyone…"

Sune Ce raised a brow, confused. "Huh? What's wrong? You wouldn't want to fall off your horse, now would you?"

It's as if he read her mind. She shook her head lightly, still a little embarrassed. "N-No… but… umm…"

Sun Ce suddenly stopped his horse, which Daqiao also did. He signaled the others to keep going forward, leaving them alone.

Sun Ce smiled. "There, see? Now no one else is around." After being together for a few months now, he had come to an understanding that his wife was simply a timid and soft-spoken lady in nature. It's not that he complained about it though, he actually thought it made her look way cuter. Gaining a little more self-confidence wouldn't hurt though.

Daqiao returned a sheepish smile. "T-Thank you my lord…" She got off her saddle and made her way up to her husband's saddle, now sitting behind him. Her cheeks had a light blush as she wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her head on his back, the feeling of drowsiness now becoming heavy once again. She soon closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

Along with Daqiao's horse, Sun Ce quickly caught up to the rest of the troops, and his best friend came to his side.

"Sister must be really tired… if not all of us…"

Sun Ce gave a chuckle. "Yeah, well that battle went on for too long, but if there's one good thing about it, it's that we won. And what's a better reward for this than a good long sleep huh?"

Zhou Yu smiled and nodded. "Indeed."

* * *

Xiaoqiao couldn't hold her excitement any longer. Waiting outside the castle gates along with the others, her eagerness was not so subtle as she kept standing on her toes, hoping it would make it faster to see them in the horizon. She pouted as the time passed by and there was still no sign of them. "…what's taking them so long?"

And why exactly was she left in the town? It was either her or her sister, and being the protective one, her sister had volunteered herself, much to Xiaoqiao's disagreement. She wanted to be the one there, always wanting to go out and join battles. It was too boring just staying in the castle, until she found something to pass the time. Maybe painting wasn't so bad after all, all except for the fact that her painting looked hideous, that and how messy the so-called recreation room looked after. She ended up going almost the whole day, almost using all the natural coloring ingredients that the helpers had worked so hard collecting just to improve her painting skills. In the end, there was little improvement, but at least she enjoyed it.

One of the local townsfolk was also waiting for them to arrive, and he looked rather excited too. He was always fascinated by those warriors, and having seen real ones, it just made him even more tireless. The Wu kingdom had helped their town prosper, giving them support and donations and materials for facilities; the whole town was very thankful to them. Having recently been promoted into the age of adolescence, he was happy that he was finally eligible to join the ranks. And to think that one of the warriors of Wu was right beside him, an unexpectedly beautiful one to boot. This day couldn't get any better! "Don't worry lady Xiaoqiao, they'll be back! I just know it!"

Xiaoqiao looked at him and giggled. It's him again, that kid who was always so happy so see them warriors whenever they stroll around the town. "Yup, I know! I just wished that they'd arrive-" As she heard the cheers of the other people suddenly got louder, she looked back to where she was looking recently and gasped happily when she saw the familiar figures.

The troops finally arrived in front of the castle gates, and Xiaoqiao ran up to her husband, who recently just got off his saddle. She gave him a warm embrace, happy to see him back safe and sound. "Zhou Yu! I'm so glad!"

Zhou Yu chuckled as he returned the embrace. "Don't worry Xiaoqiao, I'm here now." In surprise, he noticed the messy streaks of colors on his wife's sleeves and there was even an odd smell coming from her. As the pieces connected in his mind, he looked at her, confused. "Xiaoqiao? Have you been painting?"

She giggled. "Yup! My paintings didn't look so good, but it was so fun! We should try painting together sometime my lord!"

Zhou Yu gave out a weak chuckle. "Perhaps someday, right now, we're all just really exhausted…"

Xiaoqiao's smile was replaced with a look of concern. "I-Is that why you guys took long? Is everyone okay?"

Zhou Yu felt a little regret uttering those last words, feeling guilty for making his wife concerned. "There's no need to worry, everyone got out safe."

Xiaoqiao took another glance around, and her concern only grew when she still didn't see that certain someone. "Wait… where's sis?" Just when she thought something terrible happened, she looked to her left as she heard a familiar voice.

"Let's just say she's really tired."

"Sun Ce!" Xiaoqiao ran up to the side of his horse, and an instant wave of relief hit her as she saw her sister. But it was quickly changed into one of amusement. She noticed her sister hugging her husband like a pillow, with a small smile on her face. And to add more to the fun, she could even see her drooling a little. She couldn't help but snicker at the sight.

Daqiao stirred as she heard a faint but familiar voice. She stopped the embrace she had done while sleeping and sat up straight. She did a quick stretch and when she looked down to her left, her vision became clear and recognized who it was. She flashed a small smile. "Oh, Xiaoqiao."

Wait…

She looked up in surprise and noticed where they were. "We're here?" She glanced at her sister as she heard her giggling again. She gave her a confused and clueless look. "What's so funny?"

Xiaoqiao pointed at the corner of her own mouth and covered it as she tried to suppress her laughter.

Daqiao mimicked her sister, touching the corner of her lips, and quickly realized what it was she was referring to, making her blush. She swiftly wiped it off her face using her sleeve. Getting conscious that there might be other unnecessary marks on herself, she placed her right leg to the other side of the horse, both legs now on just one side, and got off. Before she could even dust herself off, her sister had already approached her and gave her a welcoming embrace.

Xiaoqiao smiled warmly and held her hands as she said, "It's really good to see you sis."

Daqiao tensed up a little as she felt the pain in her sore body, but still gave her sister a reassuring smile. "You too Xiaoqiao." She quickly noticed how her sister's clothes didn't look so clean. "And what _exactly_ have you been doing? Why are your clothes so dirty?"

Xiaoqiao chuckled nervously, replying, "I'll tell you on the way." She hugged her sister's arm and grinned. "Come on sis, let's go. You must be really tired." Soon did they start walking.

Daqiao chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea…" She stretched her arms, before continuing, "All I can think of right now is a comfy bed, and probably…" her voice jumped to a higher pitch briefly as she reached the best part of her little stretch, saying, "…something good to eat."

Xiaoqiao grinned as she remembered something. "What perfect timing! They're actually preparing beef noodles in the castle right now! Come on sis, let's get you there first!" She pulled her sister's arm as they started running back to the castle.

As they ran, Daqiao instantly felt the sore pain in her body once again, especially in her legs and feet. But she didn't mind; the quicker they got there, the quicker her grumbling stomach would get satisfied.

* * *

The two Qiaos made their way up to the castle's rooftop, where the garden was also located. Daqiao had regained enough energy during lunch but that didn't mean she wanted to go up the stairs to their current location. Nevertheless, the weather was good and the breeze was cool, so it was a much welcome invitation from her sister.

The younger sibling admired the view of the surroundings as she held on to the concrete railings. The older sibling however, just sat down on the stone bench as she didn't want to move much. All she did was quietly admire the garden and its beautiful presentation of plants – from the arrangement according to petal colors to how vibrant they looked, Wu certainly had its fair share of plant lovers. She let out a soft chuckle, which her sister heard.

Xiaoqiao sat down beside her sister. "What's up with the smile sis?"

Daqiao chuckled once again, replying, "Oh, I was just looking at the garden, and it made me wonder if master Ding Feng was part of this."

Xiaoqiao looked a little confused. Raising a brow, she asked, "Master Ding Feng? What does he have to do with the garden?"

Daqiao looked at her sister. "I was able to talk with him once. He's actually not scary to talk to, he's really nice." She thought it was no surprise if master Ding Feng was involved with this. He certainly had that intimidating appearance, but she didn't expect him to be so kind and fond of poetry, with nature as his usual subject. It was a wonderful surprise, really. She finished up and said, "And he's a good poet too!"

Xiaoqiao had her mouth agape at this sudden twist. Letting out a happy gasp, she responded, "Wow! I should invite him sometime! Maybe he can write some poems while I paint!" and ended with a giggle.

Daqiao flashed a smile. "Speaking of your paintings, where are they?"

"Oh, they're in my room. I'm not sure if they're dry yet though, I think I mixed too much water in the paint," she chuckled nervously. Her mixing skills were something else she needed to improve on.

"Do you mind if I look at them?"

Xiaoqiao was a little surprised by her sister's question. "Really? But I thought you wanted to go rest after this…"

"Well, I guess I can rest in your room for awhile…"

Before she can even finish, Xiaoqiao grinned and pulled her arm, forcing her to stand. "Okay! Let's go!"

Surely enough, her sister's energetic spirit infected her, her sleepiness now gone. Letting out a chuckle, Daqiao said, "You know what, how about we paint something together? How does that sound?"

A successful-sounding giggle escaped from the younger sibling's mouth. "Even better."


	7. Bow Training with the Princess

**Sorry for the long hiatus! I ran out of ideas. Anyways...**

 **This one's a little different as Xiaoqiao only plays a minor role/appearance here. I just wanted to try something.**

* * *

The Princess stopped in front of the room's door and knocked on it lightly. "Hey Daqiao, you ready to go?"

She heard that signature soft-spoken voice from inside the room, "S-Shangxiang? W-Wait, give me a moment…"

The Princess waited for a few minutes, but her patience was growing thin. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Hey Daqiaoooo, are you ready now?"

But she didn't hear any response. With her patience already out, she opened the door and saw Daqiao in front of the mirror.

Her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden change of the older Qiao's appearance. The biggest change was her dress. It was a little longer than her previous one, now that it reached just below her knees. While it still sported the usual red, it was only the upper half of her dress, along with that middle large sash-like part that reached below her waist as well as the sides from beneath her armpits to her hips being dark blue. The under sleeves were white with a subtle mix of red designs, visible only on her arms.

The lower half was dark blue, yet with the way it changed from the deep blue to an icy white as it reached the bottom edges - the frills, was a seamless transition, a well-done blend, as it complemented the frills beautifully.

Another major change was her hair. It wasn't tied up in pigtails anymore. Surely, she looked more mature because of it. She was wearing two red flower-shaped hairclips on either side of her head, much smaller than her previous ones, yet they still had a long ribbon behind that reached more than halfway on her now down hair.

And as she glanced down, she also noticed the white stockings she was wearing underneath, along with the traditional sandals instead of the boots. With her sharp eyes, she also noticed the unfamiliar thin bracelet on her left wrist. If anything, this new outfit made her look more conservative, yet even more appealing at the same time. The only complaint she would have about this is how hot it would be to wear this. To be fair, her own clothes pretty much covered every part of her body, so wearing Daqiao's clothes must probably feel the same.

She was really mesmerized by the sight. She knew Daqiao was beautiful the first time she met her, but this new attire made her go up on so many levels. She just had to let go of the breath she held in and gasped before running towards her. "Wow Daqiao! You look so beautiful!" Being close to her now, she could even smell something pleasant from Daqiao's clothes, as if the inside of the box had been coated with a scent to keep the dress fresh.

Daqiao smiled shyly at her, replying, "Thank you."

She glanced down at the bed and noticed the now unwrapped box. "Was this a gift for your birthday?" With her birthday being celebrated just a few days ago, she just had this hunch that it was a late gift.

Daqiao nodded. "Yes. It was a gift from father, but it only arrived this morning."

She circled around her, checking every little detail her new dress had. It was so well-made, she thought for a brief moment that the Qiaos were actually rich, being able to purchase high quality fabrics and items and all, but she already heard of their tragic story from Daqiao herself. Her own clothes looked so simple compared to hers.

Now that her admiration of her dress died down a little, she began to feel a bit worried. "Wait a minute, are you wearing _that_ for your bow training?"

Daqiao smiled and nodded. "Yes. Just think of these clothes as my regular ones now."

"But what about your previous one?"

"Oh! It's in that box over there," Daqiao pointed at the small box at the corner of her room. "If you'd like, you can borrow it if you want."

Shangxiang shook her head. "No, it's okay. I don't think I'll look good in those."

"I see…" As she pictured Shangxiang with her clothes, Daqiao had to stifle a chuckle. However, the Princess noticed this.

"What's so funny?"

Caught in the act, Daqiao smiled nervously. "Oh, it's just that I imagined you wearing pigtails…"

Shangxiang frowned. "Hey! Are you making fun of my short hair?!"

Daqiao gasped at her accusation. "N-Not at all! It's just that I've never seen you wearing one…"

Shangxiang crossed her arms. "Well… you're never gonna see me wearing those, it just doesn't suit my hair." Putting the thought aside, she faced the older Qiao and said, "Anyways, let's go." A confident smirk formed on her lips. "Thanks to me, you shall ace the bow in no time!"

Daqiao had her mouth agape at the Princess's confidence. It was best if she didn't let her down. "I-I'll do my best!"

* * *

"Okay, you've used the bow already, right?"

Arriving at the archery just a few minutes earlier, a bow was already placed on the small table in front of them. Daqiao glanced at the bow and arrow, before responding, "I did… but it was a long time ago…"

Shangxiang flashed a smile. "So you know the basics then?"

"Umm… yeah…" Daqiao slowly took the bow and arrow, giving Shangxiang a sheepish smile, saying, "You just aim and pull the arrow, right?" She looked ahead and aimed at the target several meters away. She pulled back on the arrow, yet right before she released, thanks to her way of holding it, she lost grip, making the arrow point to another direction, and almost hit one of the officers who was also training his archery skills nearby. She called out to him desperately, "S-Sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"Umm nope," came Shangxiang's late reply.

Daqiao sighed and placed the bow down. "Forgive me Shangxiang…"

Shagxiang chuckled. "Don't worry about it. It's what we came here for in the first place," she grabbed the bow and arrow, and with a smile, she looked at Daqiao and asked, "Ready to go?"

* * *

She tried her best, but that didn't seem to be enough. The target, which was several meters away, had already been struck with numerous arrows from her, yet most of them only hit the outermost ring, and some of them were on the wooden board already, which wasn't even part of the painted target anymore.

Some of the soldiers practicing with the others beside and those standing near the target tried their best to hide their worry, but they really didn't expect lady Daqiao to have this… level of skill with the bow.

Shangxiang looked disappointed as she saw the older Qiao failing for the hundredth time. She approached her and asked, "What happened to you Daqiao? I thought you were used to ranged weapons?"

Daqiao sighed sadly and set the bow down. "Forgive me Shangxiang, but it's really difficult for me."

"But what about those sticks of yours? They're ranged weapons right?"

Daqiao nodded. "Yes, but… it's not really for long range, and you only have to press on it," she handed the bow gently to her and even bowed her head, as if it was an offering. "I'm sorry for disappointing you…" Just as she turned around to leave, she was surprised as her sister-in-law grabbed her arm, her face showing an out of place comforting smile.

Shangxiang chuckled. "Don't worry about it! I have one more secret up my sleeve."

The girl blinked. "Secret?"

The princess nodded. "Yup! Just follow me!" She walked to her side, and with a serious look now forming her features. "Alright, place your left foot forward. And keep looking forward okay?"

Daqiao nodded and followed. "Okay."

Shangxiang shook her head, noticing the girl's posture. "Keep your back straight and your shoulders up," she adjusted her shoulders for her, to the girl's surprise. She circled around her once, her hand on her chin, as if to examine her. She handed her the bow while she remained in position, and taking a few steps to look at her fully, her eyes seem to brighten up, like a mother proud of her daughter. There stood in front of her was now someone who looked confident in their skills. A master of the bow. For Shangxiang, this felt like an achievement.

But she was too caught in the moment, as Daqiao just froze awkwardly in place, and to be honest, her shoulders were starting to feel a little stiff; she wasn't used to standing so straight like this, like a perfect vertical line. "Umm… S-Shangxiang? What do I do now?"

The princess replied a nervous chuckle. "Sorry about that!" She got closer once again. "Here's the most secretive part of this secret of mine. The best way to always get a perfect shot is this. Pull and hold your breath, and when you're about to release, just breathe out."

With a determined look, Daqiao closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Okay, focus…_ As she pulled the bow to its maximum limit, she held her breath and focused on the target meters away. She released the arrow, and at the same time released her breath.

The arrow struck the center of the target perfectly, and she felt so good seeing that.

"You did it Daqiao! Now you're on your way to master the bow!"

"I'm not really that good yet, but I'll try my best!" After setting the bow down, she suddenly felt all the energy she had during training go away. She sighed, "But I'm getting kinda tired now after all that." She faced the princess and embraced her, much to her surprise. "Thank you for teaching me Shangxiang, I really appreciate it."

The princess patted her back, smiling. "No problem."

* * *

They were on their way back to Daqiao's room, but they suddenly stopped as they saw a certain someone running towards them with a huge smile on her face.

As that certain someone stopped in front of them, Daqiao chuckled. "Good afternoon sister. What's up with that huge smile?"

Xiaoqiao raised a brow, finding the question a little silly when the answer was in front of her. Anyways, her smile quickly returned. "Sis, where'd ya get those clothes?! They're so pretty! It makes you look like a super cute doll!" She ended with a giggle.

"Father sent it to me. And I have to agree, it looks beautiful!"

"Really?!" Xiaoqiao grinned. "I hope father gives me one too…"

"Don't worry about that Xiaoqiao, if your father gave your sister, surely he'll give you one too!" Shangxiang reassured her.

Xiaoqiao hurried to Shangxiang's side, smiling. "Hi Shangxiang! How was your day with sis?"

Shangxiang chuckled. "It was pretty good. And your sister's already on her way to becoming a master of the bow, just like me!"

Xiaoqiao gasped, surprised. "That's amazing! Could you teach me too? Please?"

The bow princess gazed to the side briefly. She knew the younger Qiao was a little reckless at times, so she could be quite troublesome to teach. It's not that she didn't like being near her, on the contrary, she admired her childlike personality and how she was always full of energy, it added to her charms, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. She looked at her again, a weary smile on her face. "Well, maybe someday, I'm kinda tired today, you know? Same with your sister here."

As always, Xiaoqiao remained positive. "Oh that's okay, I also have to meet with lord Zhou Yu. See you two later!" She ran off to other side of the hallway and sight of her soon disappeared.

The pair was left alone again, and Shangxiang faced Daqiao with a smile. "She's always full of energy, isn't she?"

Daqiao nodded and chuckled. "To be honest, I get envious at times."

They soon arrived in front of Daqiao's room. "Hey Shangxiang, thanks for today. I had fun and I really learned a lot from that training."

Shangxiang smiled. "You're welcome, sister. If you got any more questions just ask me." Noticing how it was getting a little dark around the corridor, she decided it was time to go back to her own room as well. "Well, I think it's time for me to go. I'll see you later then!"

"Alright, goodbye Shangxiang." When she entered her room, Daqiao smiled to herself. _If I can master the bow, I can help lord Sun Ce even more, and it's all thanks to Shangxiang…_

* * *

 **I actually started writing this before DW9 was even released, probably around January, hence the reason why I _tried_ to describe Daqiao's new outfit (which I think is her best outfit ever haha).**


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